Holdgate

Holdgate is a surname of English origin. It is a locational name deriving from a place called "Holdgate" in Shropshire, England.

The place name "Holdgate" is derived from the Old English elements "holde" meaning "hollow" or "hole" and "geat" meaning "gate" or "pass". Therefore, the original meaning would have been "gate or pass in a hollow".

People with the surname Holdgate are found predominantly in the United Kingdom, but also in other English-speaking countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand due to emigration.

There are a few notable individuals with the surname Holdgate, including:

• Martin Holdgate (1931-2016): A British biologist and environmental scientist. He served as Chief Scientist and Director General of Research at the Department of the Environment, and later as Director General of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The surname has a relatively low frequency, suggesting it is not a particularly common name.